Association between Periodontitis and Severe Asthma in Adults: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the association between periodontitis and severe asthma, with participants in treatment for severe asthma, controlled by therapy.

Methods

A case-control investigation was performed to compare 130 adults with severe asthma with 130 without asthma. Individuals with periodontitis were those with ≥ 4 teeth with ≥ 1 site with probing depth ≥ 4 mm, clinical attachment level ≥ 3 mm, and bleeding upon probing at the same site. Severe asthma diagnosis was based on Global Initiative for Asthma criteria.

Results

Association between exposure to periodontitis and severe asthma was found: OR_crude= 2.98 (95%CI: 1.74 to 5.11). When confounders were considered, the association between exposure to periodontitis and severe asthma was maintained: OR_{adjusted =} 3.01 to 3.25. Individuals with periodontitis had about a three-fold increased risk of severe asthma than those without periodontitis. Frequency of periodontitis in participants with severe asthma was greater than that of those without asthma (46.6% vs 22.3%, p≤0.05).

Conclusions

Association between periodontitis and severe asthma was observed. Further investigation is required to determine the direction of this relationship. It may be causal, but it may also be a consequence of the immunopathological process that characterizes asthma, or else, consequence of the medication used for treatment.

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